Volume 2, Issue 2, Spring 2012
Infinity Journal
Page 24
Summary
From Israel’s perspective, Hamas’ strategy compels it to
absorb what it regards as a tolerable level of terrorism
(although Israel would prefer total quiet on its borders) but
one that permits it to make progress towards its national ends
of social and economic development.
Hamas’ asymmetric and irrational strategy permits it to resist
without bringing it closer to achieving its ends
vis-à-vis
Israel.
The strategy is problematic since if it is too successful it will fail
(the Amorite Iniquity Effect).
In rational eyes Hamas’ strategy appears to be problematic
since it does not seem to be helping it to achieve its ultimate
ends, but Hamas’ irrational point of view causes it to ignore
this drawback!
A stable situation is thus created in which the two conflicting
strategies can co-exist over time, and in which the parties
have no motivation to reach a peaceful solution. This
strategic stasis explains the current pause in Israeli-Hamas
interaction. It remains to be seen whose assessment of the
competitive interaction between their respective strategies
is the most accurate. Clearly, Israel’s strategy appears both
more rational and more sustainable.
References
[i] I refer to the last two cases as“humanitarian defense”(or the“Goldstone defense”).The concept of humanitarian defense is a new one! To emphasize its novelty,
it may be seen that the Jewish community (
Yishuv
) during the 1948 War of Independence, defended its populated areas against the Arab armies that invaded
Israel.A populated area whose defense was breached was evacuated, and then demolished by the Arab forces that occupied it. On the other hand, villages and
neighborhoods occupied by the IDF in Operation Cast Lead in Gaza were not evacuated, and the IDF generally avoided harming them.
The Amorites Iniquity – A Comparative Analysis of Israeli and Hamas Strategies in Gaza
Gur Laish
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